Who is the best five-set player in men's tennis?

Fitness, nerve and the willingness to still be out there after four hours. Not everyone passes that test.

1

Novak Djokovic

Has won more five-set matches than any man in the Open era, including several from two sets down.

2

Rafael Nadal

Twenty-two-time major champion whose physical game got stronger as matches stretched past four hours.

3

Carlos Alcaraz

Saved three championship points to win the 2025 French Open final in five hours and 29 minutes.

4

Jannik Sinner

Came back from two sets down to win the 2024 Australian Open final and holds a strong five-set record.

5

Roger Federer

Played some of the longest finals in Wimbledon and Australian Open history, winning most of them.

6

Andy Murray

Won a string of marathon five-setters late in his career, including on a metal hip.

7

Stan Wawrinka

Beat Djokovic in back-to-back five-set major epics in 2013 and 2014.

8

Lleyton Hewitt

Australian who turned five-setters into endurance contests and rarely lost the physical battle.

9

Michael Chang

Beat Ivan Lendl over five sets at the 1989 French Open aged 17, cramping throughout.

10

John Isner

Won the longest match in tennis history, 70-68 in the fifth set at Wimbledon 2010.

11

Ivan Lendl

Recovered from two sets down to win the 1984 French Open final against McEnroe.

12

Bjorn Borg

Won the 1980 Wimbledon final in five sets after losing an 18-16 fourth-set tiebreak.

13

Pete Sampras

Won five-set classics in New York against Corretja and Agassi while visibly unwell.